A movie review of ​TONI ERDMANN.

Seen at the London Film Festival 2016. (For more information, click here.)

“What do you find worth living for?” Ines (Sandra Hüller)

With less than three weeks to go, can this 162 minute German comedy be toppled as the best film of 2016? TONI ERDMANN is about the three pillars of society: Family, romance and work. Unless you are at ease with yourself (the holy grail of life surely?), these circles are kept separate. The pillars perhaps give us an opportunity to modify how we present ourselves and reinvent ourselves in each sphere. The focus of the movie is the relationship with our parents, but it is used to discuss much more. Psychological, philosophical and political discourse is rarely as cinematically entertaining.​

​Winfried Conradi (Peter Simonischek) is a prank-loving retiree, who wants to (re-)connect with his buttoned-down, dour daughter, Ines. They could not be more different. Winfried's backstory is barely hinted at, making him even more fascinating. Where does he get his playful mischief? Certain theories arise: Joie de vivre, the sad clown, general optimism and affection, boredom, and/or railing against his parents - we meet briefly his grumpy mother. We could look at him and his daughter as a reflection of German-Austrian society, though such suggestion feels too broad and simplistic. When the titular character is introduced, answering the door, pretending to be a twin just released from prison after committing manslaughter, you know this guy is going to be either a really annoying try-hard or wonderful. Turns out he is the latter.

Winfried teaches piano lessons, but only has a single student, Lukas (Lennart Moho), who wants to quit. Everyone here is intentionally or unintentionally funny. TONI ERDMANN has its place within a history of European humour (e.g. LE DÎNER DE CONS and COUNTRY WEDDING). If this had been mainstream, sentimentality would have likely been shoehorned in artlessly. This is subtle stuff.​

​Jokes are unexpected and so funny. Awkwardness is not in the now commonplace CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM/THE OFFICE social cringe way, but deeper more psychologically observant:- Talking about the meaning of life and happiness,- Pretending to be on the phone to avoid speaking,- Insulting someone behind their back and them hearing it,- Truth said in jest – “Great, she can call on your birthday so I don’t need to,” Ines,- Unglamorous sex, with lover Tim (Trystan Pütter), who says in the act, “My sperm has super powers”, and- Wait till you get to “naked team building”.

Ines is clearly unhappy. Even if the emotion is not necessarily obvious, we can see it in the way others are treated by her. Assistant Anca (Ingrid Bisu) is only spoken to with indifference or chiding, and is being strung along regarding a promotion. Ines’ self-absorbed perfectionism is clear, evidenced in an excruciating scene involving a dislodged toenail, blood, and a blouse exchange. Winfried leaves Germany for an unsolicited, unannounced holiday to Romania, where his daughter is on secondment. The initial encounters are so chafing that the father brings out his alter ego ‘Toni Erdmann’ (who uncannily looks a bit like actor Barry Humphries (whose own alter ego is mischievous Dame Edna Everage)).​

​TONI ERDMANN obviously concerns the young and old. Working age people are constantly chasing the bucks. The retired of Western Europe are arguably enjoying decent pensions, which are looking like the last generation to have such. These retirees have disposable income, are bored, and suffer their own regrets.

TONI ERDMANN is in German, English and Romanian. Is the film a state of the continent address? The European Union has been a success, though disproportional discontent in the project has reared its head loudly in 2016.

There is commentary of women in the work place. “I’m not a feminist or I wouldn’t tolerate guys like you,” Ines to her boss Gerald (Thomas Loibl). At one point a Romanian worker is merely fired for not using gloves on the job (by Vlad Ivanov’s Illiescu – a supporting actor who is a cinematic brand of quality). Ines’ consultancy is hired so the client company can cowardly get a green light to outsource and therefore downsize the Bucharest branch. The consultancy firm is basically paid to be scapegoated. Winfried earlier told his ex-wife, re Ines, “We did something wrong” – a harsh indictment of their daughter.​

​He is lonely, affectionate and wants to put things right. Ines is rude, entitled and distant - perhaps in defence against a frustrating world. She even has a body language coach. Ines wants to work in Shanghai – she is clearly disillusioned, but it goes deeper than she can admit to until her father comes along. Winfried is not perfect. Clearly not easy to live with, his ex-wife has re-married – how quickly after we do not know. Ines and Winfried represent the ideas we care profoundly for, but how grasping too hard makes them elusive - Him for his daughter, and Ines for her job and promotion. An awkward U.S. embassy party in Bucharest epitomises this.